rs
of the church. This step was indispensable to admit the pair into
Christian fellowship and to allow to Mr. Hutchinson the privileges of a
citizen. He came through the questioning more easily than did his wife,
for, in consequence of the reports already spread concerning her
extravagant opinions, Mrs. Hutchinson was subjected to a most
searching examination. Finally, however, she, too, passed through the
ordeal safely, the examining ministers, one of whom was her old and
beloved pastor, Mr. Cotton, declaring themselves satisfied with her
answers. So, in November, we find her a "member in good standing" of the
Boston church.

[Illustration: OLD CORNER BOOKSTORE, SITE OF THE HUTCHINSON HOUSE.]

From this time forward Mrs. Hutchinson was a person of great importance
in Boston. Sir Harry Vane, then governor of the colony and the idol of
the people, was pleased, with Mr. Cotton, to take much notice of the
gifted newcomer, and their example was followed by the leading and
influential people of the town, who treated her with much consideration
and respect, and were quick to recognise her intellectuality as far
superior to that of most members of her sex. Mrs. Hutchinson soon came,
indeed, to be that very remarkable thing--a prophet honoured in her own
community. Adopting an established custom of the town, she held in her
own home two weekly meetings--one for men and women and one exclusively
for women--at which she was the oracle. And all these meetings were very
generously attended.

Mrs. Hutchinson seems to have been New England's first clubwoman. Never
before had women come together for independent thought and action. To be
sure, nothing more lively than the sermon preached the Sunday before was
ever discussed at these gatherings, but the talk was always pithy and
bright, the leader's wit was always ready, and soon the house at the
corner of what is now School Street came to be widely celebrated as the
centre of an influence so strong and far-reaching as to make the very
ministers jealous and fearful. At first, to be sure, the parsons
themselves went to the meetings. Cotton, Vane, Wheelwright, and
Coddington, completely embraced the leader's views, and the result upon
Winthrop of attendance at these conferences was to send that official
home to his closet, wrestling with himself, yet more than half
persuaded.

Hawthorne's genius has conjured up the scene at Boston's first "parlour
talks," so that we too may attend an